Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Master the Skills

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Master the Skills

Over the weekend I had a conversation with a friend who works for a local firm that manages creative talent. Recently he recommended that a specific action not be taken and was in turn challenged with finding a better solution. My friend asked for twenty-four hours. In that amount of time, he was able to develop a proposal that solved the client’s problem and far exceeded expectations.

This kind of quick-turn, creative problem solving is not a skill that can be obtained overnight. It’s also not a skill that can be achieved by following a how-to guide. However, there are a few things techniques that we can all master to increase our creativity problem-solving skills.
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Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Changing Vision

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Changing Vision

Lately, some important life changes and transitions have me rethinking a few things, specifically the trajectory my life is following. Heart checks like these are important. They help keep us on track with our vision, and they help us re-think the vision when necessary.

As I worked on my vision board tonight (still not finished – it’s always evolving), I thought about how some of the creatives I know create a new vision for every quarter, and some change it out every month. A vision, by its nature, is a constantly changing, evolving thing. Life brings new challenges and opportunities, so we adapt our course.
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Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Instant Inspiration

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Instant Inspiration

One of my favorite creative outlets is instant film. I have a Polaroid 600 that I bought when I was 16 and a Fuji Mini Instax from my husband that I use regularly, as well as a Diana Instant Back that I have yet to try out. (One day, soon, when I figure out which box it’s packed in).

Sometimes the best way to break through what we call creative block is to find a way to get over ourselves. We pursue perfection in our craft – of course, right, because we want to produce quality work. Graphic artists have digital tools at their disposal that take away the pain of making mistakes. Photographers can modify their images to negate poor lighting effects. Even recording artists can digitally correct pitch, re-record instruments, and add vocals as needed.
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Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Embrace Constraint

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Embrace Constraint

Many times as I am working on a creative piece, such as the short story draft I have due this weekend, I find myself wishing for the perfect creative environment. The right music, the right atmosphere, peace and quiet, no responsibilities, time to myself, no to-do list waiting. I find myself wanting to get away so I can get down to the business of creative work.

And sometimes that is what is needed. But many times, it’s not.

Creative retreats serve a necessary and valuable purpose, but let’s be honest – we can’t go on retreat every time we have a deadline. We can’t hide ourselves away every time we have a project on our plates. (Unless we’re J.D. Salinger, that is.)
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Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Be Intentional

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Be Intentional

Making time to nurture creativity can seem like a wonderful thing that is worthy of aspiring to, but in the face of real world demands, a creative practice often gets pushed to the back burner. Many times, creative ideas are bookmarked, clipped, and stored away but never revisited. We tell ourselves, “There simply isn’t time.”

Or space. Or resources. Believe me, I can relate.
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Every Monday is Tip Day! This Week: Create a Vision Board for 2010

Every Monday is Tip Day! Grab a cup of coffee and get over the Monday morning bump with tips, tools, and inspiration from Perch.

This Week: Create a Vision Board for 2010

Remember the One Thing List we talked about a couple of weeks ago? This week’s tip is all about taking it one step further, getting creative, and creating a visual for your vision.

I first thought about this idea after listening to Jamie Ridler’s podcast interview with Silky Hart. (Jamie has some excellent tips in her January newsletter.)
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